Pickup trucks are useful vehicles for transporting large items or materials. Most pickup truck beds are designed to fit large, flat construction materials like drywall or plywood that are offered in 4′×8′ sizes.
While the ability to fit large, flat items is beneficial, many truck owners need to transport smaller items that do not occupy most of the space in a truck bed. As a result, aftermarket pickup truck bed storage systems have been developed in order to provide the ability to store smaller items in the truck bed as well.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,250 (Dickinson et. al.) discloses a plastic box that is mounted to the bed of a pickup truck for secure, waterproof storage of items.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,876 (Gerald) discloses a multi-compartment, bed-mounted box that can be adjusted to accommodate different types of truck beds.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,288,011 (Grossman) describes a watertight container that can be mounted on top of the rails of the truck bed. The containers can be adjusted for the height of the rails and can telescope to provide larger or smaller storage spaces, depending on the needs of the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,641,013 (Dise) discloses a modular container system for a pickup truck bed for tool storage. Containers can be added or removed as needed, and the system can occupy the entire truck bed, if desired by the user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,898 (Williams) describes a storage system with multiple compartments that fits snugly on to the bed of a pickup truck and raises the effective bed height by about 12 inches.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,394,100 (Sperlich) discloses a system to provide multiple levels of storage in a pickup truck bed, and provides secure storage for the lower level when the tailgate is closed.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,942,269 (Mains) describes a system to provide multiple levels of storage in a pickup truck bed, in which the height of the levels can be adjusted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,241,137 (Corr) describes a removable system designed to provide multiple levels of storage in a pickup truck bed.
The systems referenced above do not provide the user ultimate flexibility in changing the type of items being transported. Some systems provide the ability to store smaller items in boxes, while other systems provide the ability to store large, flat items on a flat surface that is raised above the bed of the truck. However, there is not a system that provides the user the ability to effectively and securely store small items, large or oddly shaped items, and construction items such as drywall or plywood all at the same time, where such flexibility and modularity is integrated into a single system.
There exists a need in the market for an improved storage system for the bed of a pickup truck. The present invention provides an efficient system of effectively and securely transporting various sized items within the bed of a pickup truck.